Improvement in mail-bag qatches



W. S. HAMLIN. MAIL-BAG GATGHERS.

No. 195,710. Patented 0ct.2,1877

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PATENT Orrron.

WILLIAM HAMLIN, .oF 'BUo'HANAn, MICHIGAN.

l MPROVEMlZ-LNT n MAIL-BAG QATQHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,710, dated October 2, 1877; application filed March 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. HAMLIN, of Buchanan, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Bag Receivers, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my device, showing the end of a railway-car, and the mailbag in position to be taken by the receiving-box. Fig. 2 shows adetached portion of a car and a top view of the receiving-box as attached to the car. Fig. 3 shows a top view of the mail-bag stand or holder. Fig. 4c shows a detached view of the top of the standard and the pivoted end of the arm of the mailbag holder. Fig. 5 shows a mail-bag holder, with dotted lines showing the arms turned up out of the way.

The object of my invention is to receive the mail from the various stations upon fast mailtrains without stopping or materially slackening the speed of the train; and my invention consists in attaching to the mail-car a mail-bag receiving-box, open at one side to receive the mail-bag which is suspended, and is cut loose by a knife in such a manner as to admit of the mail-bag falling into the receivingbox, as hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents an ordinary mail railway-car. B is a box or receiver, attached to the railway-car by a vertical pivot at one end in such a manner that it can be made to swing out from the car .to receive the mail-bag. O is an ordinary mail-bag, suspended by a string, D, from the arm E. There is also a string, F, attached to the bottom of the mail-bag, and passed over a pin on the arm G. The object of this string is to keep the mail-bag frgm being swung by the wind so as to strike against the car. H is a standard, rigidly attached to a base-block, I. The arms E and G are supported from the standard H by means of the straps J, which pass around the standard and receive one end of the arms, they being pivoted thereto by pins K. These arms E are made with one oval and one square corner, so as to swing up into the position shown by the dotted line in Fig. 5, but not to swing down below a horizontal position. The straps J are also made to slide vertically upon a standard, H, so as to carry the arms E and G to any desired position on the standard H. L is also a standard, rigidly attached to the base I in such a position as to brace the arms E and G and keep them from revolving from the mail-bag receiver. M is a hook, attached to the arm E, on which the mail-bag is hung. N is a knife, attached to the top of the mail-bag receiver B in such a position as to out the string D.

It will be observed that the position of this knife is only material in that it must be located where it will out the string by which the mail-bag is suspended as the mail-bag enters the receiving-box.

The hookMcould be made to carry the knife in such a manner as to cut the string D when struck by the mail-bag receiving-box.

O is a yieldingback-piece, against which the mail-bag strikes as it is caught by the receiving-box B. It is for the purpose of diminishing the concussion and preventing injury to the mail-bag or mail.

It will be observed that the mail-agent, as he approaches a station, turns the receivingbox for receiving the mail-bag out into the position so that it will project from the car sufficiently to receive the mail-bag.

The station agent suspends the mail-bag which he wishes to have the fast train take up by means of the strings D and F in such a position that the train of cars will pass it, but the receiving-box will catch it, substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.

When the receiving-box strikes the strings D and F, the lower string F is simply slipped off from the pin in the arm G; and at the same time the knife above described cuts the string D, and the mail-bag is thrown against the yielding bufl'er or back-piece O and caught by the box B.

In this manner I am enabled to take up or receive the mail at the various stations upon the fast mail-trains without stopping, and without materially injuring the mail-bags or their contents.

I prefer to make my maiLreceiving box B so that I can turn it into the car, as described, or

arms E and G, attached thereto by adjustable straps J, to which they are pivoted, whereby the arms may be either swung up or turned to one side, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The swinging receiving-box B, in combination with a swinging cushion or bufier, O, suspended within the receiving-box near the rear end thereof, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM S. HAMLIN.

Witnesses:

M. M. DLLLoN, L. A. BUNTING. 

